Thanks to all who attended on Sunday. It was a great workshop by Gerry O’Gorman and his knowledge and approach provided us all with insights in how to approach a piece of music (On Joe’s Deck by Roland Dyens) and present that music convincingly.

There will be a concert on Monday 19th December featuring two members of the society. The concert at Belfast City Hospital will feature Gerry and Robbie with flute and violin and selected readings for Christmas. Free of charge and all welcome. Concert flyer below.

The annual Christmas lunch at Rockmount Golf Club (http://www.rockmountgolfclub.com/) will take place on Sunday 18th December at 2pm (lunch for 3pm). Please let us know if you wish to attend by this coming Saturday 10th as we need to give numbers to Rockmount.

Last Sunday there was an Extraordinary General Meeting to ratify the revised constitution. It was passed and is now in operation. Minutes of the EGM attached (thanks to Keith for his work on the constitution and Robbie for his work on the minutes).

Hope to see you at the Christmas lunch, but if not a Happy Christmas and New Year to all.

Please find below information about a concert featuring Keith Thompson and Robert Cuthbert at Macmillan Information and Support Centre in Belfast, November 24th. Be sure to notify Keith or the society if you intend to attend as seats are limited.

We’re very sad to hear about the passing of Roland Dyens yesterday, a most influential contemporary guitar composer and performer. The Society had the honour of playing before him at one of his few concerts in Northern Ireland at the Ards Guitar Festival a few years ago. We will miss him earnestly.

In light of this event, at the December meeting the society will be conducting a workshop on one of his pieces from the Trinity Guildhall Grade 4 book, On Joe’s Deck. The score will be made available at the meeting, which takes place at the Ulster College of Music at 3pm on the 4th December.

Brian Keenan has a one-off guitar for sale at his store that may be of interest.

A Manuel Rodriguez Centenary model that retails at £2999, Brian is offering it at £1999 and would knock a further 10% off for CGSNI members, bringing it to £1799. In the words of Brian himself (and he knows what he is talking about!), ‘This guitar is an absolute dream to play’.

The next society meeting will take place on 10th April at the Ulster College of Music, beginning 3pm.

Brian Keenan will be giving a performance during the second half of the meeting, after tea break at around 4.30pm and lasting for 45mins. Brian will also be at the members’ recital beforehand, which will take the form of a mini workshop, to offer feedback on performances.

If you wish to present a piece please let the chairman know in advance, and preference will be given to those performances. There will be spaces on the day, also.

This is a great opportunity for valuable feedback from an experienced teacher and what promises to be a great performance programme.

Before this all happens though, the society’s ensemble group will be playing at the Ards Guitar Festival on Wed 6thApril, 8pm in support of Wiktoria Szubelak. More information about this performance, and the whole Ards Guitar Festival programme, can be found via the following link – http://www.ardsguitarfestival.co.uk/whats-on/